Autoilluminant writing implement



June 11, 1940. 5 Km U M 2,204,136

AUTOILLUMINANT WRITING IMPLEMENT Filed Aug. 29, 1938 fizao 4 Fi@,-fl

I ga /7d/fa a/ z. #0 4? iii "Patented June 11,1940

nu'roummrmm'r war'rmo IMPLEMENT John a. King and mm L. nine, Waterbury, Conn" minor to Chase Brass & Copper 00. Incorporated, Waterbury, Conn., a. corporation Application August 29, 1938, Serial No. 227,237

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to an autoilluminant writing implement of improved construction and more especially to a writing implement of this character, suitable for being carried in a pocket of the user.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of parts in an illuminating writing implement by means of which the lamp-energizing circuit is I closed automatically under the pressure applied to the delineating-point of the implement when in use.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a simple and eflective construction and arrangement of parts in an autoilluminant writing implement whereby the lamp is energized automatically under a direct axial pressure on the delinesting-point when, for example, the implement is used for sketching or writing in the dark or by means of a lateral scribing pressure such as that applied to the delineating-point when the implement is used for writing.

With the above and other objects in view, as will-appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawing, in which a certain mode of carrying out the presentinvention is shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an illuminating writing instrument in the form of a pencil and embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged -sca1e view thereof, partly in central-vertical section and partly in side elevation;

Fig, 3 is a fragmentary view similar to the lower portion of Fig. 2 showing the operating positions of the working parts under a lateral scribing pressure;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of the light-transmitting cas- -ing; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the main body casing member, partly broken away to show the internal construction.-

According to the embodied form of the invention shown in the drawing, an autoilluminant writing implement is constructed to include a main-body casing-assembly designated generally by the reference character II. This casing-as- I sembly Ill includes a tubular shell II which, if

desired, may be provided with a spring-clip Ila. The tubular shell II is open at its lower end and is provided at that end with an inwardly-turned annular stop-lip l2. At its upper end, the tubular shell II is closed by means of a dome-like cap I! which is connected thereto by means of a threaded connection it. Battery-stop-indents ii for limiting the upward endwise displacement of an electric battery l6 disposed within the tubular shell ll, may be provided at peripherallyspaced points by inwardly-displacing marginalportions of the threaded flange of'the cap it. The said electric battery i6 is provided with a center-electrode having a terminal-contact i1 and a tubular electrode is constituted by the outer cylindrical shell of the battery.

The tubular shell I i is preferably of cylindrical form to permit the employment of a battery of conventional form and the arrangement of the centerand tubular-electrodes l1 and I8 in concentric relation to the said tubular shell ll.

Projecting axially from. the main-body casingassembly iii is a writing-head-assembly generally designated by the reference character IS. The said writing-head-assembly includes an articulated frusto-conical casing-member constructed of light-transmitting material such, for example, as transparent or translucent glass. Secured to the bottom-end of the casing-member 20 is a metal terminal-fitting 2i from which projects the delineating-point 22 of the writing implement which is illustrated in the form of a lead which is fed through the'terminal-fitting by means of a mechanical feed-member 23.

The light-transmitting casing-member 20 is open at the top and is provided with an annular enlargement .24 arranged within the lower end of the tubular shell ii. The'said annular enlargement 24 which constitutes a stop-ring for preventing the downward displacement of the writing-head-assembly from the tubular shell II, is constructed and arranged to normally rest upon the annular stop-flip l2 at the lower end of the tubular shell ii and to retain the said writing-head in coaxial alignment with the said tubular shell.

Seated upon the upper edge of the annular stop-ring 24 by means of an annular flange-portion 25, is a lamp-socket 26 which is made of metal to render it conductive to electricity. Mounted in the lamp-socket 26 by means of its terminal screw-plug 28 is an electric lamp-bulb 21 which is provided with a central terminal-contact 29 which is normally retained in spaced relation to and substantially in coaxial alignment with the central terminal contact or electrode ll of the electric battery i6.

Interposed between the lamp-socket 26 and 65 the tubular-electrode or terminal ll of the electric battery It, is a yieldable spacing medium' which may be in the form or a spiral spring 30 preferably having its lower end flxedly secured to the lamp-socket 26 to reduce the number of loose parts in the assembly.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that before applying the dome-like cap I3 to the upper end of the tubular shell II, the several parts of the autollluminant writing implement are readily assembled. For this purpose, the writing-head-assembly It, with its associated parts pre-assembled therein, is inserted downwardly through the tubular shell Ill until the stop-ring 24 comes to rest on the stop-lip l2.

Then the illuminating unit comprising the lampsocket 26, lamp-bulb 21, and the spiral spacingspring 30 is seated upon the stop-ring 2!. The battery I6 is next placed in position with its center-electrode or terminal-contact i'l presented downwardly and with the terminal IS in contacting-engagement with the upper end of the spiral spring 30. Finally, the dome-like cap I3 is threaded into the upper end of the tubular shell ll until the center-electrode-terminal I1 is properly spaced from the lamp-contact 29 under a suitabletensioning oi. the spiral spring 30.

When the writing implement isnot in use, the lower marginal edge of the annular enlargement or stop-ring 24 at the upper open end of the writing-head-assembly l9 rests evenly upon the annular stop-lip l2 at the lower end of the tubular shell II where it is normally retained under the constraint of the spiral spring 30. For this purpose, the spiral spring 30 ismade of proper strength so that, by advancing or retreating the cap l3 in the upper end of the tubular shell II, the spiral spring 30 may be placed under suitable tension to maintain the lamp-bulb terminal-contact 29 in properly-spaced relation to the centerelectrode or terminal contact ll of the electric battery IS in an arrangement that is most conducive to a facile manipulation of the writing implement. The spiral spring 30, when thus tensioned, serves also to counteract to a suitable degree the axial and flexing displacements of the writing-head-assembly 19 while the writing implement is in use. Under these conditions, during the continuance of a drawingor writingoperation in the dark, the normally-spaced contacts l1 and 29 are readily brought into and retained in contacting-engagement, each with the other, by a direct axial pressure on the delineating-point or pencil 22; by a lateral pressure thereon; or by a combination of these pressures. During a lateral displacement of the writinghead-assembly, the articulated casing-member 20 is caused to pivot about any point on the inwardly-turned stop-lip l2 at the bottom of the tubular shell II which happens to correspond to the direction from which the lateral-pressure is applied to the writinghead-assembly in the manner shown in Fig. 3.

Should it be desired to so do, the lamp-bulb 21 maybe steadily energized and the writing-headassembly I!) may be rendered rigid with respect as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

We claim:

1. An auto-illuminating writing implement comprising: a main-body casing-member; an electric battery carriedtherein; a writing-head casing-member; an electric lamp mounted on said writing-head casing-member and having a terminal-contact, the said electric lamp being positioned in said main-body casing-member with the terminal-contact thereof normally spaced apart from an electrode 01' said electric battery; band-means coupling said writing-head casing-member to said main-body casin -member with capacity ior'lateral-pivoting movement of the former with respect to the latter to angularly shift the terminal-contact of said electric lamp into circuit-closing engagement with the 'said electrode of the electric battery; the said writinghead casing-member being responsive with respect to its lateral-pivoting circuit-closing movement, to writing pressure applied to the writing implement in the characteristic inclined position thereof.

2. An auto-illuminating writing implement comprising: a main-body casing-member; a writing-head casing-member projecting from and coupled to the said main-body casing-memher with capacity for lateral-pivotal movement with respect thereto; a lead or equivalent marking-point projecting from the said writing-head casing-member; spring-means normally yieldingly holding the two said casing-members against lateral movement with respect to each other; an electric battery within one of the said casing-members; an electric lamp carried by the said writing-head casing-member; and contactmeans constructed and arranged to be actuated by the lateral pivoting of the said writing-head casing-member with respect to the said mainbody casing-member to electrically interconnect the said electric battery and the said electric lamp in response to writing pressure applied to said writing implement in the characteristic inclined position thereof.

3. An auto-illuminating writing implement, comprising: a main-body casing-member; a writing-head member movably connected to the main-body casing-member with capacity for lateral-pivotal movement with respect thereto; an electric battery mounted within the said mainbody casing-member and having a central electrode and an outer cylindrical electrode presented downwardly within the said main-body casingmember; a lamp-receiving socket-member arranged below the electric battery within the main-body casing-member in endwise abutment with the said writing-head member and movable therewith in the lateral-pivoting movement of the said writing-head casing-member; an electric lamp mounted in the said lamp-receiving socketmember and having a terminal-contact movable into and out of contacting engagement with the central electrode of the electric battery; a resilient electrically-conductive battery-supporting medium interposed between the said writing-head member and the said cylindrical electrode of the electric battery and arranged to electrically connect the said cylindrical electrode to the lampreceiving socket-member; and means for fixedly limiting the upward displacement of the electric battery with respect to the said writing-head for locating the central electrode of the electric bat- 7 tery in a position in which the said terminalcontact of the electric lamp is movable into contacting engagement therewith by means of a lateral-pivoting circuit-closing movement of the writing-head member in response to writing pressure applied to the writing implement in the characteristic inclined position thereof.

4. An auto-illuminating writing implement comprising: a main-body casing-member; a writing-head casing-member projecting from said main-body casing-member and having a mounting-P rtion at one end positioned in and coupled to the said main-body casing-member with capacity for lateral-pivotal movement with respect thereto; a lead or equivalent markingpoint projecting from said writing-head casingmember at the opposite end thereof; springmeans normally yieldingly holding the two said casing-members against lateral movement with respect to each other; an electric battery within one of the said casing-members; an electric lamp carried by the said writing-head casing-member; and contact-means constructed and arranged to be actuated by the lateral pivoting of the said writing-head casing-member and the shifting of the said mounting-portion thereof within the said main-body casing-member to electrically interconnect the said electric battery and the said electric lamp in response to writing pressure applied to the writing implement in the characteristic inclined position thereof.

5. An auto-illuminating writing implement, comprising: a tubular shell provided at its lower end with a lateral portion providing an inner peripheral stop-lip and also providing an upwardly-presented fulcrum-surface for a writinghead; a light-transmitting writing-head provided with an annular portion providing a stop-ring having a downwardly-presented bearing-surface bearing on the said fulcrum-surface of the tubular-shell, the said annular portion having an outside diameter larger than that of the inner peripheral edges of said stop-lip and smaller than that of the inner wall of said tubular shell, the said writing-head being thereby coupled to the said tubular-shell with capacity for lateral-pivotal movement with respect thereto; a lampsocket seated on and tiltable with the writinghead; an electric lamp arranged in said lampsocket with its central terminal-contact presented upwardly therefrom; an electric battery arranged within the tubular shell above said electric lamp; said electric battery being provided with downwardly-presented central and cylindrical electrodes; a coil-spring interposed between and electrically connecting the lampsocket and the said cylindrical electrode, the said central electrode being thereby retained in axially-spaced relation to the terminal-contact of the electric lamp vwhen the writing implement is not in use; and a closure having an extended threaded connection with the upper end of said tubular shell for axial adjustment therein, the said closure being in axial abutment with the upper end of said electric battery for adjusting the said central electrode axially into a position in which it is engageable by the terminal-contact of the electric lamp when the writing-head is tilted on the said stop-lip of the tubularshell in response to writing pressure applied to the writing implement in the characteristic inclined position thereof.

6. An illuminating writing implement, comprising: a tubular shell provided at its lower end with an inturned stop-lip; a light-transmitting writing-head carrying a lead or equivalent marking-point projecting from the forward end thereof and provided with a stop-ring at the opposite end thereof, the said stop-ring being normally spaced laterally inwardly of the body of said tubular-shell and in axial abutment with said stop-lip, the said writing-head having capacity for lateral-pivoting movement with respect to the said tubular-shell; a lamp-socket seated on said stop-ring and movable therewith in the lateral-pivoting movement of the said writinghead; an electric lamp mounted in said lampsocket and having an upwardly-presented terminal-contact; an electric battery arranged within the tubular shell above said lamp-socket and having downwardly-presented central and ciroumferential electrodes; a coil-spring interposed between and electrically connecting the lampsocket and said circumferential electrode, the said central electrode of the electric battery being thereby spaced from the terminal-contact of the electric lamp; and a closure for and adjustable to different axial positions in the upper end of said tubular shell, said closure being at all times in axial abutment with the upper end of said electric battery to eflect an axial adjustment of the said central electrode with respect to said terminal-contact of the electric lamp; and the said writing-head being laterally-pivotal to shift the terminal-contact of the said electric lamp into engagement with the central electrode of the said electric battery in response to writing pressure applied to the writing implement in the characteristic inclined position thereof.

JOHN E. KING. RANDAL L. HALE. 

